Total pages in book: 30
Estimated words: 30858 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 154(@200wpm)___ 123(@250wpm)___ 103(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 30858 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 154(@200wpm)___ 123(@250wpm)___ 103(@300wpm)
“Do you mind if I get off first so I can take a few pictures of your jet in the snow?” he asked.
“I would love for you to get off first.” I tried not to roll my eyes. “Please, be my guest.”
He moved toward the front, waiting for the pilot to pull open the door.
Jenna looked as annoyed as I felt, her lips pressed tight as she shook her head.
As I was unbuckling my seatbelt, my phone sounded with a video call.
My mom.
Terrible timing…
“Hello, Mother,” I answered. “I meant to call you back a few days ago, but—”
“Let me get this straight.” She interrupted me with a look on her face that could kill. “You can visit your fiancée’s family for the holidays, but you can’t visit your own?”
“How did you find out about this?”
“I can’t believe you have an entire fiancée—who lives in Washington—and you were just going to bypass your beloved mother and family without so much as a hello.”
“It’s not personal,” I said. “There’s a reason behind it—and it’s not one I want to get into.”
“Well, thank you for not denying it.” Her face reddened. “Thank you very much.”
“Who told you about this?”
“Your assistant,” she said. “The very woman you’re marrying…”
“I see.” I glared at Jenna. “I’m firing her the second I get back.”
“You can’t spare a few hours for us?” she asked quietly, her expression shifting from anger to something quieter—and worse.
“I’ll see what I can do.” I held back a sigh. “I’ll call you within an hour.”
“Please do.”
I ended the call, still looking at Jenna.
“It’s just a few days of play pretend.” She smirked, mocking my words from the other day. “How hard could it possibly be?”
12
JENNA
My parents’ ranch sat back from the road, a long wraparound porch stretching across the front and acres of snow-dusted land disappearing behind it.
“You told me your parents lived in a shotgun house in the middle of nowhere,” Nicholas said.
“It is in the middle of nowhere.”
“It’s a mansion…” He looked like he was expecting an explanation.
I shrugged. “It’s not like I was ever expecting you to see it.”
Seconds later, he pulled into the turnaround driveway and helped me out of the car.
We waited for a moment as Mr. Reaves stepped out, snapping photos like a tourist.
“Wow,” he said. “This is truly Christmas come to life, huh?”
Neither of us answered him.
Nicholas pressed his hand against mine and led me up the steps.
I hesitated before ringing the doorbell, and before I could take a breath, the door swung open.
“Ahhh! You’re really here!” My favorite aunt—Aunt May—pulled me into her arms. When she looked up at Nicholas, her jaw literally unhinged.
And it hung wide open until I pressed it shut.
“Um…” She blinked. “Who is this?”
“Nicholas,” I said. “He’s just a boyfriend.”
“I’m her fiancé,” he corrected me, extending his hand. “Nicholas Saint.”
“Wait a minute… Isn’t your boss’s name Nicholas Saint?”
“Yes.”
“But you just told us he was an asshole who wasn’t letting you come home for the holidays.”
“He regrets ever saying that,” Nicholas answered for me.
“Um, okay then. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you in person, Nicholas.” She smiled, looking like she wanted to say more, but thankfully she kept her mouth shut.
“Who’s your friend behind you?” she asked.
“No one,” we said together.
“I’m Jeremiah Reaves.” He extended his hand. “I’m just tagging along for business. Act like I’m not here.”
“If you insist…” She motioned for us to take off our coats.
“Have we missed much of the party?” I asked.
“Yeah, right.” She snorted. “The alcohol is just now being served, and Uncle John hasn’t pissed anybody off yet with his stories, so you’re beyond early.”
Ugh, great.
“Nicholas, I need you to do me a huge favor for Jenna’s sake while you’re here.” She looked at him. “Maybe just leave it at ‘boyfriend’ when you introduce yourself, so she won’t get grilled and yelled at by her dad, okay? He won’t take too kindly to the fact that you didn’t ask for permission to date her first.”
Nicholas arched an eyebrow, looking confused.
“Is that Jenna I see down the hall?” someone suddenly yelled.
“Jenna’s here?”
“Jennaaaa?”
The screams from my family members drowned out any chance of us finishing our conversation.
Bracing myself, I clasped Nicholas’s hand and pulled him past the long hall of Christmas trees, shaking hands and hugging my family members along the way.
Before they showed us to our guest suite—a room that overlooked my father’s garden he once shared with my mom—I slipped my engagement ring into my pocket.
They didn’t let us get a second alone to unpack and go over our script. Instead, my aunts showed us into our grand dining room and pushed all types of wine and liquor options in front of our faces.
Taking a long sip of spiced eggnog, I winced as the alcohol burned its way down my throat.
This is only for a few days, Jenna. Just think about the money…